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[theolodian]

I've said it a few times now - Media Center Edition is the way to go

It does sound tempting what with the little I know about it.  However, that would involve buying a computer with the appropriate hardware.

I'm not buying Sky and paying an extra 10 quid/month for the ability to record stuff.  That's 120 a year when a VCR is 30 quid.

Stuff paying to record stuff - paid £350 for the PVR when it first came out £80 for a 100GB drive last year, 55 hours of recording time.

PVRs start just over £100 now

Or just use your old naff 2.4 P4 as an MCE (about £50 for OEM copy of XP MCE), stick in a 500Gb HDD and some freeview tuners. And it has the advantage it can play most sources, slideshow pictures etc, all without messing about.

Don't get freeview here.  :-?

[Taxi_Driver]

I've said it a few times now - Media Center Edition is the way to go

It does sound tempting what with the little I know about it.  However, that would involve buying a computer with the appropriate hardware.

I'm not buying Sky and paying an extra 10 quid/month for the ability to record stuff.  That's 120 a year when a VCR is 30 quid.

Stuff paying to record stuff - paid £350 for the PVR when it first came out £80 for a 100GB drive last year, 55 hours of recording time.

PVRs start just over £100 now

Or just use your old naff 2.4 P4 as an MCE (about £50 for OEM copy of XP MCE), stick in a 500Gb HDD and some freeview tuners. And it has the advantage it can play most sources, slideshow pictures etc, all without messing about.

I think it time i got rid of my freeview topuptv box with HD......its bloody useless......keeps locking up....freezing.

And try out MCE instead  

[Taxi_Driver]

I've said it a few times now - Media Center Edition is the way to go

It does sound tempting what with the little I know about it.  However, that would involve buying a computer with the appropriate hardware.

I'm not buying Sky and paying an extra 10 quid/month for the ability to record stuff.  That's 120 a year when a VCR is 30 quid.

Stuff paying to record stuff - paid £350 for the PVR when it first came out £80 for a 100GB drive last year, 55 hours of recording time.

PVRs start just over £100 now

Or just use your old naff 2.4 P4 as an MCE (about £50 for OEM copy of XP MCE), stick in a 500Gb HDD and some freeview tuners. And it has the advantage it can play most sources, slideshow pictures etc, all without messing about.

Any recomendations TB??

[TheBoy]

I've said it a few times now - Media Center Edition is the way to go

It does sound tempting what with the little I know about it.  However, that would involve buying a computer with the appropriate hardware.

I'm not buying Sky and paying an extra 10 quid/month for the ability to record stuff.  That's 120 a year when a VCR is 30 quid.

Stuff paying to record stuff - paid £350 for the PVR when it first came out £80 for a 100GB drive last year, 55 hours of recording time.

PVRs start just over £100 now

Or just use your old naff 2.4 P4 as an MCE (about £50 for OEM copy of XP MCE), stick in a 500Gb HDD and some freeview tuners. And it has the advantage it can play most sources, slideshow pictures etc, all without messing about.

Any recomendations TB??

If you want to use S3 standby, stay away from USB based tuners - including the Hauppauge Nova T 500 PCI dual tuner like I use (these PCI cards actually have a PCI-USB bridge, and the 2 tuners are actually USB devices).

The Hauppauge Nova T (single tuner) works well for me, and copes with standby better.

MCE by default only supports 2 tuners. More than 2 needs a little bit of registry hacking.

[Taxi_Driver]

I've said it a few times now - Media Center Edition is the way to go

It does sound tempting what with the little I know about it.  However, that would involve buying a computer with the appropriate hardware.

I'm not buying Sky and paying an extra 10 quid/month for the ability to record stuff.  That's 120 a year when a VCR is 30 quid.

Stuff paying to record stuff - paid £350 for the PVR when it first came out £80 for a 100GB drive last year, 55 hours of recording time.

PVRs start just over £100 now

Or just use your old naff 2.4 P4 as an MCE (about £50 for OEM copy of XP MCE), stick in a 500Gb HDD and some freeview tuners. And it has the advantage it can play most sources, slideshow pictures etc, all without messing about.

Any recomendations TB??

If you want to use S3 standby, stay away from USB based tuners - including the Hauppauge Nova T 500 PCI dual tuner like I use (these PCI cards actually have a PCI-USB bridge, and the 2 tuners are actually USB devices).

The Hauppauge Nova T (single tuner) works well for me, and copes with standby better.

MCE by default only supports 2 tuners. More than 2 needs a little bit of registry hacking.

Yes, read that earleier on MS website......will have a look at the Haupppauge Nova T ones then.....cheers  

[Martin_1962]

I've said it a few times now - Media Center Edition is the way to go

It does sound tempting what with the little I know about it.  However, that would involve buying a computer with the appropriate hardware.

I'm not buying Sky and paying an extra 10 quid/month for the ability to record stuff.  That's 120 a year when a VCR is 30 quid.

Stuff paying to record stuff - paid £350 for the PVR when it first came out £80 for a 100GB drive last year, 55 hours of recording time.

PVRs start just over £100 now

Or just use your old naff 2.4 P4 as an MCE (about £50 for OEM copy of XP MCE), stick in a 500Gb HDD and some freeview tuners. And it has the advantage it can play most sources, slideshow pictures etc, all without messing about.

Don't get freeview here.  :-?

Have you tried ?
Have you checked Wolfbane?
WHich TX do you use for analogue?
We willl get it working!

[theolodian]

I've said it a few times now - Media Center Edition is the way to go

It does sound tempting what with the little I know about it.  However, that would involve buying a computer with the appropriate hardware.

I'm not buying Sky and paying an extra 10 quid/month for the ability to record stuff.  That's 120 a year when a VCR is 30 quid.

Stuff paying to record stuff - paid £350 for the PVR when it first came out £80 for a 100GB drive last year, 55 hours of recording time.

PVRs start just over £100 now

Or just use your old naff 2.4 P4 as an MCE (about £50 for OEM copy of XP MCE), stick in a 500Gb HDD and some freeview tuners. And it has the advantage it can play most sources, slideshow pictures etc, all without messing about.

Don't get freeview here.  :-?

Have you tried ?
Have you checked Wolfbane?
WHich TX do you use for analogue?
We willl get it working!

I've got freeview in the LCD telly.  No joy.  Even got one of those antenna boosters last year, had to return it.  Only get 3 channels and we live in town!  CH4 is mostly clear, BBC1 slightly fuzzy, BBC2 very fuzzy.

[Martin_1962]

Sounds like your aerial or downlead is naff, do you know which transmitter you are on?

[theolodian]

Sounds like your aerial or downlead is naff, do you know which transmitter you are on?

No idea.  It's a house that's been split into 5 flats, and we rent, so no control over aerial or wiring.

[Martin_1962]

Sounds like your aerial or downlead is naff, do you know which transmitter you are on?

No idea.  It's a house that's been split into 5 flats, and we rent, so no control over aerial or wiring.

Stage one - get onto landlord.

Stage two - which floor are you and what direction are your windows - do they point anywhere near north Birmingham?

I lived in a bedsit for 3 years and the only person in hte entire building with a decent picture was.
.
.
.
.
.
.
ME!

I stuck my own up on the window surround.

[theolodian]

Sounds like your aerial or downlead is naff, do you know which transmitter you are on?

No idea.  It's a house that's been split into 5 flats, and we rent, so no control over aerial or wiring.

Stage one - get onto landlord.

Stage two - which floor are you and what direction are your windows - do they point anywhere near north Birmingham?

I lived in a bedsit for 3 years and the only person in hte entire building with a decent picture was.
.
.
.
.
.
.
ME!

I stuck my own up on the window surround.

Ground floor, bay window by TV points Coventry/B'ham-ish.

[TheBoy]

My sister used to live in the same town as you Theo, and here picture was always rubbish. You most likely get from Sutton Coldfield, and are classed as 'extreme fringe'.  It will be worse if you are low.

[theolodian]

My sister used to live in the same town as you Theo, and here picture was always rubbish. You most likely get from Sutton Coldfield, and are classed as 'extreme fringe'.  It will be worse if you are low.

Yeah, in a bit of a dip.  Stuck with Virgin.  

[Martin_1962]

Sounds like your aerial or downlead is naff, do you know which transmitter you are on?

No idea.  It's a house that's been split into 5 flats, and we rent, so no control over aerial or wiring.

Stage one - get onto landlord.

Stage two - which floor are you and what direction are your windows - do they point anywhere near north Birmingham?

I lived in a bedsit for 3 years and the only person in hte entire building with a decent picture was.
.
.
.
.
.
.
ME!

I stuck my own up on the window surround.

Ground floor, bay window by TV points Coventry/B'ham-ish.

Sounds difficult

[Martin_1962]

Oh well worth a try - was hoping we could sort a Sutton areal out properly